Storms
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Cloud Precipitation

Tropical Cyclone Bingiza Hits Madagascar


Our Amazing Planet
Mon, 14 Feb 2011 20:42 UTC
Tropical Cyclone Bingiza
© NASATropical Cyclone Bingiza.
Tropical Cyclone Bingiza made landfall on Madagascar on Feb. 14, 2011.

The U.S. Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) reported that, as of about noon Madagascar time on Feb. 14, Bingiza had maximum sustained winds of 98 mph (155 kilometers per hour) and gusts up to 120 mph (195 kph).

NASA's Terra satellite captured this image of Bingiza at 10:00 a.m. local time on Feb. 13, 2011. In the image, Bingiza's eye approaches northern Madagascar, and a spiral arm grazes Antananarivo.

Although Bingiza would weaken somewhat over land, the storm was expected to re-strengthen after passing over northern Madagascar, thanks to high sea surface temperatures, according to a NASA statement. The JTWC forecast that, on the western side of Madagascar, the storm would travel southward, roughly tracing the island's west coast.
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Attention

Sri Lanka: Floods destroy over a third of rice harvest


IRIN Asia
Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:47 UTC
Grain
© Amantha Perera/IRINFood prices have increased after the floods
Sri Lanka will lose over one million tons from its upcoming paddy harvest due to recent flooding, officials say.

"We expected a yield of around 2.75 million metric tons from the harvest due in March to April," Kulugammanne Karunathileke, secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, told IRIN. "After the heavy rains we will only get around 1.75 million."

Karunathileke, the highest ranking official at the ministry, said the country had expected a bumper crop - until flooding, which began in January, left some paddy fields under water for up to 11 days. The worst-hit areas are in the eastern districts of Ampara, Batticaloa, Polonnaruwa, Trincomalee and the north-central district of Anuradhapura.

Together they account for over 1.2m tons of the harvest.
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Igloo

In Mississippi, snow-plowing tractors no match for latest winter storm

Patrik Jonsson
The Christian Science Monitor
Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:35 UTC
Snow and cold records are falling across the South as another winter storm blankets parts of Mississippi with half a foot of snow. One mayor admits he might have to buy a plow.

Mississippi Snow
© Bruce Newman/Oxford Eagle/APStudents sled on the University of Mississippi campus in Oxford on Wednesday.
As yet another major winter storm broke the all-time winter snowfall record in the northern Mississippi town of Booneville Wednesday, Mayor Joe Eaton found himself staring at some unusual challenges for a place where the annual average temperature is 60 degrees.

After a 10-inch snowfall in late January and another three inches Wednesday, his troubles include keeping out-of-school kids from getting into trouble with their all-terrain vehicles as well as finding money in the budget to upgrade his makeshift snow removal equipment.

Coming off a colder-than-average winter in 2010, this season's record-setting cold and snow is supplying the citizens of Dixie with a new appreciation for what their Yankee brethren deal with on a more regular basis.
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Igloo

South Korea in chaos after heaviest ever snowfall, Han River in Seoul freezes over


BBC
Mon, 14 Feb 2011 06:24 UTC

The heaviest snowfall in more than a century on South Korea's east coast is causing widespread chaos.

Hundreds of houses have collapsed under the weight of the snow. One newspaper described it as a snow bomb.

The South Korean government has deployed 12,000 soldiers to rescue stranded residents.
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Igloo

Bone-chilling snow hits South Korea, heaviest snowfall in 100 years


Press TV
Mon, 14 Feb 2011 05:21 UTC
Image
The heaviest snowfall in 100 years has hit South Korea's east coastal areas, prompting the military to dispatch soldiers to the affected regions.

The bone-chilling snow, measuring one-meter high, buried some eastern cities, stranded hundreds of motorists on the roads and damaged many buildings.

Some 12,000 soldiers have started a rescue operation in the snow-stricken regions and remote areas to dig out the homes of people trapped in the snow.

Food and aid have been delivered to isolated villages while many flights have been cancelled. Officials say schools in the snowing parts will be closed for the time being.

More blizzards are forecast for Monday, putting municipal authorities on high alert to deal with further traffic chaos and property damage.

The snowstorm came after record-low temperatures, which caused the Han River in central Seoul to ice over for the first time in 26 years.
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Snowman

Cold wave tightens grip over Kashmir, heavy snowfall in Gulmarg


NetIndian
Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:42 UTC
With no let up in snowfall in the high altitude areas, including the famous ski resort of Gulmarg, and intermittent rains in the plains, the night temperatures across Kashmir valley dipped today after showing steady increase over the past three days, engulfing the region in a the fresh cold wave.

It is still snowing in the upper reaches of the valley, including Gulmarg, the main attraction for the tourists visiting Kashmir during winter, official sources said.

The snowfall started in Gulmarg and other high altitude areas early yesterday under the influence of western disturbance which is expected to hover over the region during the next few days.

"So far 10 inches of snow have accumulated in Gulmarg hill resort, while its peripheral areas, including Khilanmarg, Kangdoori and Apperwath, received heavy snowfall," sources said adding reports of heavy snowfall were also received from Sadna top, Z-Gali and Razdan top in north Kashmir, holy cave shrine of Amarnath and adjoining areas in the periphery of Pahalgam hill resort in south Kashmir, Sonamarg and Zojilla Pass along Srinagar-Leh National highway and Yousmarg in Budgam district of Central Kashmir.
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Cloud Lightning

Heavy rains: More bad weather expected in Balochistan

Shehzad Baloch
The Express Tribune
Sun, 13 Feb 2011 12:21 UTC
Image
© NNITraffic is seen going single file on the partially submerged Jinnah Road in Quetta.
Heavy rains lashed major parts of Balochistan on Saturday, paralysing routine life by cutting power supplies. Heavy showers and snowfall also caused traffic disruption between different districts in the province.

The meteorological department said more rains may generate flash floods in the seasonal rivers of Mekran and Sibi divisions. Emergency control rooms have also been set up in these areas.

According to the meteorological office, Quetta received 18.8 millimetres of rain while Dalbandin received 20 millimetres, Nukundi 15 millimetres, Zhob eight millimetres and Kalat 10 millimetres of rain. The Met office predicted more rain in Balochistan over the next 24 hours. Khanmitarzai, Tuba Kakri received one and a half feet of snowfall.

"We have formed two teams and set up a control room in the Levies Thana, Turbat to monitor the situation in the Mekran division," Deputy Commissioner Kech Tariq Qamar Baloch said. He said that all precautionary measures have been adopted.
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Igloo

India: Cold wave revives in Himachal Pradesh state due to rain and snow


MSN India
Sun, 13 Feb 2011 21:02 UTC
Several areas in the higher reaches were cut off from the rest of Himachal Pradesh as the state experienced another spell of snowfall today reviving cold wave conditions. The hills and mountain passes including Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnuar have been experiencing moderate to heavy snowfall since last evening. Telecommunication services were badly disrupted in Lahaul and Spiti district, which was already cut off by road from rest of the state due to heavy snowfall.

Keylong in Lahaul recorded 45 cm of fresh snow while Killar in Pangi, Rohtang pass, Mari and Koksar recorded 70 cm to 90 cm of snow as snowfall was continuing. The key tourist resorts of Manali, Narkanada, Hatoo Peak, Sarahan and Sangla also experienced snowfall while Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Solan, Sirmaur and other hilly areas were experiencing heavy rains accompanied by high velocity icy winds.

Manali recorded about 30 cm of snow this evening while the nearby Solang ski slopes were covered under 120 cm thick layer of snow bringing cheers to skiers.
Kalpa and Sangla in Kinnaur district recorded 30 cm of snow while Narkanada and Khara patthar in Shimla district had 20 cm of snow.
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Cloud Lightning

Cyclone Bingiza set to hit Madagascar

Steff Gaulter
Al Jazeera
Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:52 UTC
Image
Tropical Cyclone Bingiza east of northern Madagascar early on February 10
Madagascar is being lashed by heavy rains, and things are promising to get worse over the next few days.

Tropical Cyclone Bingiza is creeping ever closer. For the last few days it has been swirling a few hundred kilometers off-shore, with just the outer fringes of the storm thrown westwards towards the island. These outer bands have already brought a lot of rain, but the centre of the storm where the worst of the weather is, has not reached Madagascar yet.

Currently the eye of the storm has sustained winds of nearly 160kph, and gust of 195kph. This makes it the equivalent of a category 2 hurricane, but the storm is still expected to strengthen as it creeps slowly westwards.

The full force of Bingiza is expected to strike on Monday, near the town of Mananara Avaratra in the northeast. The town is home to over 30,000 people, with the majority relying on agriculature for their livelihood. A storm of this size will unleash damaging winds and flooding rains capable of tearing through the more rudimentary style of housing, as well as fields of crops.
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Igloo

Europe: 'Beast From the East' Roars In With More Snow

Nathan Rao
Express
Sat, 12 Feb 2011 16:49 UTC
Image
© Unknown

In coming days, the “beast from the East” could bring chaos similar to the pre-Christmas whiteout
Winter is set to roar back to Britain with a vengeance this week as a Russian weather front threatens another big freeze.

And there will be no let-up until well into March, say weather experts.

In coming days, the "beast from the East" could bring snow chaos similar to the pre-Christmas whiteout.

Scotland and the North will be worst hit, with up to two inches of snow and ­temperatures as low as -10C. The South will not escape the icy blasts, with temperatures sinking to -5C.

Jonathan Powell, of Positive Weather Solutions, said: "Nowhere is safe, although the North is really in the line of fire.
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